Part IV
Cat snuggled down in the soft bed, for a moment just rejoicing in how warm, comfortable and peaceful she felt. Then it hit her like a steam roller.
"Oh...POO!" she exclaimed. Today they had to perform in front of the Gamemakers to get their score, which would be televised to the entire nation. All Cat had to do was not to look good. This would take some pride swallowing. She got out of bed, and jumped into the shower, going through her plan in her head. "Okay," she said to herself, as she got dressed and began to brush her hair, "Do the climbing. That should get you marks. But do some crap knife throwing to bring down the score, so that it's not too high. You want around a two or three. Just do your best. Or," she smiled at herself in the mirror "Your worst." She realised that she had been talking to herself for the last five minutes. This is not a good sign. She thought to herself, as she tied her hair into a high ponytail and looked at herself in the full length mirror. A small girl of around four foot dressed in a sea green zip-up jacket, a white shirt, dark trousers and black boots looked back at her. She tightened her curly pony tail and decided to go and find some breakfast. She needed it.
-x-
Faith stepped into the shower, wondering what she could do with the Gamemakers. All she really had to do was throw some weapons around, maybe show she knows which berries to eat as well quickly, to show she's not just trained in weaponry. She decided sword was her best weapon, then knives. After taming her hair into another high ponytail, Faith slipped on ankle boots, another white fitted blouse and grey skinny jeans.
-x-
Jasper rubbed his ears and glared bitterly at his mentor. Moxin glared right back. He was right; Moxin had decided to rip him for wasting his practice session yesterday. Jasper rolled his eyes and made his way to the training centre. Today was 'Show Off' day. He sighed, running a mock routine though his head. He was last on the tribute list, meaning that whatever he wanted to do really had to catch the attention of the Gamemakers. He stepped off the elevator, and straight into Moxin.
"Are you listening to me?" Jasper looked up with a start. He hadn't been.
"No. I didn't know you were talking."
Moxin gritted her teeth. Just before she could get another word in, Jasper cut her off.
"Look, why don't you just give up? Nobody would miss me if I died. Start remembering I don't exist." Just like everyone else. He thought bitterly.
Hands in his pockets, Jasper walked off.
-x-
When she smelt of roses Faith skipped breakfast, not wanting to get used to the rich food. She stepped into the elevator, being one of the earliest that day. She got straight to training, heading to the axes.
Cat finished off her breakfast, what they called 'Baked Beans on Toast'. She walked down to the training area and straight over to the climbing. This was going to be the only skill she could use to impress the Gamemakers, so she'd better get pretty good at it.
Testing the weight of the axe, Faith tensed her arm and swung her arm, the axe embedding itself in the dummy. With a smirk she continued practicing until she'd managed to swipe it's head of in one throw.
Cat kept working on her time until she could get to the top of the wall in less than 30 seconds. She then moved to a different wall, and kept practising.
Faith watched her for a minute before continuing working with axes. When every time she beheaded a dummy, she headed to the swords, picking up a large katana and twirling it around her wrist.
Cat finally mastered the hardest wall. Smiling, she began to climb again, trying to beat her time.
Faith beat the trainer a couple of times before deciding she didn't need any more sword practice and headed to the knives.
Cat kept practising on the wall, until a bell rung, signalling that it was time for the sessions in front of the Gamemakers. "Crap..."
Faith straightened, feeling ready she went to the dining hall, knowing she would be second.
After a while Faith was called, she stood and walked over to the destined area, looking around the room and setting her gaze on the weapons. She sprinted over to them, grabbed an axe, and threw it in the air with the correct timing to catch the blade in her fingers.
-x-
Cat stood outside, shaking slightly. She tingled with nerves. All you have to do is climb...
-x-
She threw the axe again, catching it on the handle and immediately throwing it and beheading a dummy. She repeated a few times before grabbing a collection of knives. She stood on the other side of the room, threw one at a light bulb, one at a target, then threw a load of knives around a dummies head, so the knives made the exact shape as it's head. She then threw a knife in its chest and grabbed a mace, swinging it to show she could use it. She quickly found some edible berries, presented them to the Gamemakers. The Gamemakers said she could leave and Faith headed back to her floor.
Cat saw Faith come out. "How did it go?" she asked quietly.
Faith shrugged. "Not sure. Just be lucky you're not District 12... They'd be bored to death by then."
Cat smiled at her, and shot a sympathetic look up at the District 12's.
"Good luck." Faith told cat when they called her name.
"Thank you!" Cat squeaked, and she walked through the doors to where the Gamemakers were waiting.
Faith smiled faintly and went up the elevator, not getting off it, but going up and down, bored.
-x-
Cat walked into the room. A load of capitol people were sitting at the other end. They took one look at her and began to chuckle. Cat seized the knives, anger building in her chest. She must NOT do well...she'd show them in the games...
Her first knife hit the target, only on the edge, but it slammed into with a force which a girl of Cat's size should not possess. The Gamemakers didn't seem to notice this, however. Cat continued throwing the knives, making sure that none of her other throws actually hit the target. She then walked over to the wall and buckled herself in. She climbed each wall quickly and skilfully, but the Gamemakers didn't even seem to be watching anymore. They dismissed her, and as she was leaving the room, she distinctly caught the words
"...hasn't got a chance."
She slammed the door behind her, face scarlet with rage, wanting to scream with rage...but she must appear weak! She channelled her anger and...burst into angry tears, running from the queue and to the lift.
"Hers didn't go well then..." she heard someone mutter behind her.
Faith didn't notice Cat at first, but was watching below her as the lift went up and down. "Nobody." She muttered, still not realizing Cat was there.
Cat stabbed the button with her finger, and ran into the lift as the doors opened and shut behind her. Faith was muttering things that her father had said to her until she noticed a presence. She turned and saw Cat, looking pretty angry. The door shut behind her, and Cat sank to the floor, her legs collapsing beneath her, tears still trickling down her cheeks.
Faith watched, her, not sure what to looked up through her tears and saw Faith staring at her, looking unsure.
"I really screwed up." Cat managed to whimper quietly.
Faith still didn't know what to say. She'd been bought up to not care about anyone, just to kill. She just stood there, wondering how to comfort someone if you were a heartless bitch.
Cat wiped her tears away, and blew her nose on a tissue. "Has anyone ever got a 0?"
Faith shook her head. "The lowest you can get is 1, I think.
"Oh. Well. Hello number 1."
Faith sighed "You don't know until later." She said.
"They all laughed at me. I heard them say I didn't have a chance."
"Doesn't mean they won't give you a chance." She said airily. She shrugged and made the elevator stop at her floor. "Come with me." She said, not sure why she wanted to help her, except the fact she looked so much like her dead sister.
"Thanks Faith." Cat followed her, wondering why Faith was helping her.
She walked to her room and let Cat in, locking the door behind her.
-x-
Leaning against the wall, Jasper blinked at the sympathetic smile that the tribute from District 4 had sent him. He gave a twisted sort of grimace back. There was no way that Jasper was going to score good at this today. He wasn't even holding his breath for a possible sponsor. He was dead certain that he would die alone in that arena. Sighing, Jasper shot a nervous glance at his fellow tribute. She was shaking with nerves, despite Moxin's attempts to calm her. He smiled wryly before heading into the training centre. There was no way that a District 12 tribute would win this year. The thing that Jasper hated the most was the wait to see the Gamemakers. He was nervous, and he knew he needed to make a good impression. Jasper rocked back and forth on his heels, just waiting. He looked on in sympathy as the nice girl from District 4 came out looking rather tearful. He shook his head.
Get a grip. She may just be playing. It was a popular tactic after all. Finally it was his turn.
Standing in front of the Gamemakers was nerve-wracking. Jasper winced as he observed them. They all seemed rather interested in the food that just arrived. He grumbled and went over to the ranged section and picked up a few knives. Juggling them in the air, Jasper caught each one as they came down and threw them into the ground near the Gamemaker's feet. They all looked up at him in silent fury. He shrugged, smiling innocently, before picking up a few more and driving them into the hearts of the dummies. Grabbing a sword, he haphazardly lopped a dummy to pieces. Before he could pick up another weapon, one of them dismissed him. Jasper happily noted that they all held rather dark looks on his face. It was promising that he would die an early death.
Head held high, he left the arena and headed back to his room, not bothering to give his mentor a glance.